The Ankle Biter @ Quibbling.net

Suicidal Lies

Normally I’m not a fan of Tom Friedman. But this is actually a pretty good column.

As horrendous and bloody as a war in the Middle East would be, and as much as I would NOT like to see the situation come to that, it is time to stop playing footsie with Yasser Arafat. Let’s recap some history:

1948: The State of Israel is established by the UN, which includes an internationally-controlled Jerusalem. It is established in the area commonly known as Palestine, which was under the control of the British Empire at the time, which donated the land for the purpose of founding a Jewish state. Within hours of Israel formally becoming a sovereign state, more or less the entire Arab world launches a war on it.

1949: Israel, which barely had time to pull itself together, succeeds in fighting them off.

1964: The Arab League charters the Palestinian Liberation Organization for the purposes of “the destruction of Israel” and the “establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state.”

1967: The USSR tells Syria that Israel is amassing troops on its border (which was a total falsehood), and Syria grabs Egypt and they start amassing troops on Israel’s borders. They eventually get the Saudis, Sidan, Algeia, Jordan, and Iraq to join in. Facing a three-front war against Arabs who were literally announcing to the world, “We’re ready to attack Israel, y’all!” Israel launches a pre-emptive strike and kicks their asses back to where they came from within 6 days, taking some territory in the process as an insulator. Arabs in general, and Palestinians in particular, start bitching about how Israel is “occupying their territory.” Never mind the fact that they tried to occupy Israel’s territory by preparing to invade in the first place. Also, the territory Israel annexed had both strategic and spiritual significance. It included the Sinai Desert and the Golan Heights.

It was at this point that Israel started offering “Land for Peace.” In other words, “we’ll give you back your land if you just stop f’n PICKING ON US.”

Oh, and by the time the war started, Israel was officially a nuclear power.

1973: Apparently not learning their lesson, the Yom Kippur war is launched against Israel. Israel beats them back within three weeks.

1974: The Arab League names the PLO “the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” and rejects UN Resolutions 242 and 338, which establish Israel’s right to exist within UN-established borders and calls on all parties to abandon belligerency.

1978-79: The Camp David Accords: Egypt and Israel make peace. Israel hands back the Sinai peninsula and Egypt recognizes Israel’s right to exist.

As a result of this peace, the Arab League removes its HQ from Cairo, several Arab nations sign a resolution encouraging “progressive and nationalistic” forces in Egypt to overthrow Anwar al-Sadat, the Egyptian leader, and an Arab joint political and military command is formed to coordinate moves against Israel and Egypt. Sadat is assassinated not long thereafter. But to this day, Egypt and Israel are still at peace- Egypt did not attend this most recent Arab summit.

1993: The Oslo peace treaty between Israel and the PLO is signed.

1994: Israel and Jordan sign a peace treaty, promising “mutual understanding and cooperation in security-related matters,” full diplomatic relations, free trade, and recognition of Israel’s right to exist. Jordan, incidentally, also did not attend this most recent Arab summit.

[/history lesson]

It’s not that I’m suggesting that Israel has been totally innocent in all of this. But let’s look at who the aggressor has consistently been. Let’s look at how Arafat has paid lip service to peace with Israel, but has consistently tolerated terrorism against Israel. Hell, the PLO started out as (still is) an umbrella group for a motley crew of terrorist organizations.

Let’s remember how Israel, surrounded on all sides by people who hate it and would like to see it destroyed, hasn’t had a moment’s real peace since its founding.

Let’s note that Israel has historically demonstrated its willingness to hand back lands that it has taken for nothing more than the promise that it will be left alone.

Let’s note that Israel has had the opportunity on more than one occasion to kill Arafat and wipe the Palestinians from the face of the planet, but has stayed its hand. Hell, Israel let the US talk it into NOT retaliating when Saddam Hussein was launching Scuds into Tel Aviv.

Let’s note that while Ariel Sharon may have no use for a Palestinian state, he did not come to power in a vacuum. Israel is a democracy, and his power comes from the Israelis who elected him because they are tired of offering the olive branch only to be beaten with it.

Finally, let’s note that while Ariel Sharon may really have no use for that Palestinian state, he SURELY has a use for Israel’s alliance with the United States, which has ALWAYS supported a Palestinian state. Sharon is a hawk, but he’s no dummy.

While turning Arafat into a martyr is not going to solve the problems, Israel has demonstrated that it is strong enough on its own, and definitely strong enough with US support, to hold off the attack that would come from such an action until someone more reasonable could come to the table on behalf of the Palestinians. Like Jordan, for example - the majority of Jordanian citizens are ethnically Palestinian. In fact, there are more Palestinians in Jordan than there are in the West Bank. If there is any legitimate voice of the Palestinian people, it is the King of Jordan.

And wouldn’t it be easier to sit at the table with Jordan than with Yasser-fucking-Arafat?

Yes, it would be bloody and terrible war. Yes, that is a bad thing. No, I don’t think it can be avoided. Yes, it may be necessary. We’re talking about people, after all, whose goal in life is to die in the fight against Israel. Israel can fight back, or it can allow more grandparents to be blown to bits on their way to Seder.

Online Stars & Stripes - Revisited

Look what I found today! What a pleasant article… too bad the company has gone under.

But for the record, I would like to point out that Iserved.com didn’t “bring The Stars & Stripes into the world,” as the article suggests. The paper had been in print since 1877 at least. So there.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the stripes of linen lying be themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Luke 24:1-12

He Is Risen Indeed!! Happy Resurrection Day, everyone!

Whoo!! My router works… I’m blogging from my couch.

Of course, hooking this little POS laptop up to a broadband connection is a bit ridiculous, but it’s fun anyway.

Power Tag-Team Knicker Shopping n. The act of shopping for underwear, especially scandalous underwear, in the context of a group of two or more women. Characterized by assorted ravings about the state of the women’s underwear industry (”Why does all the fun underwear have to be so uncomfortable?”) and the repeated encouragement of members of the shopping party to buy more and more ridiculous underwear because, “Oh, it’s SO you!” Usually preceded by the consumption of alcohol.

I had never gone shopping for underwear in a group before. Usually it has been, as DP puts it, “My Own Private Hell.” However, I think Power Tag-Team Knicker Shopping is something I will have to do again. There’s something really relaxing about buying fun underwear with your friends. And if you have a variety of sizes in the group, that increases the chance that SOMEONE in the group will own that darling pair of pink sparkly mesh double-string bikinis that you all ooohed and aaahed over. And it also gives you additional pairs of eyes to find a bra that matches them in your size. Because scandalous underwear is a terrible thing to waste.

Also, there is something intensely liberating about scandalous underwear, whether you intend to show it to anyone or not. Think about it. You’re at work, wearing a stodgy business suit and heels, or a long skirt and sweater, and maybe your boss is chewing you out over something ridiculous. But you (and only you) know, that underneath, you are wearing black lace panties with red roses embroidered on them. There is something very satisfying about that little secret.

There’s a REASON the store is called Victoria’s Secret, after all.

To any guys who think this is TMI: Hey, it’s a girl-blog. Deal with it.

OK, so I have hit a major milestone in my adult life.

I received my first visit from the Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

I only buzzed them in because the woman’s voice sounded like a friend of mine and she seemed to be having trouble figuring out the intercom system.

So they left me one of their little pamphlets and asked if they could come back next week to see what I thought of it. I said ok, only because I didn’t know what else to do, and they had a little kid with them so I didn’t want to be rude.

So,

Poll Time!

By show of comments on my blog, do I:
1. Pretend not to be home next week when they come back?
2. Invite them in and argue theology with them?
3. Other? (fill in)

Full disclosure: The other half of my degree is in Christian Ministry, so I had to take LOTS of theology classes. Plus I am from a long line of ministers and missionaries. That could be good and bad. Here they are, trying to do what they believe is right, and spread light in a darkened world… and they’re certainly not expecting to run into the Theology Avenger.

But at the same time, the JW’s are a MAJORLY screwed up sect. Making some of them think wouldn’t be a bad thing, would it?

Sgt. Stryker has been added to the recommended reading list. Good blog, good perspective on defense and war and suchlike. When you’re done with the heavy stuff, don’t forget to read his More Stupid Than Stupid section (it’s linked near the upper left corner). The entry entitled “Take That Golden Ticket and Shove It Up Your Ass” is especially entertaining.

“Christ’s church I never doubted. But man’s church needs help.” –Father Jim

Terrific column on the flip side of the pedophilia scandals facing the Church- what happens when an innocent priest is accused?

And no, I didn’t specify “the Catholic Church,” because “we who are many are one body in Christ.” (Rom 12:5) This isn’t just a “Catholic issue.” It affects us all.

Monkey Boy discovers a promising career ahead of him as a motivational speaker….

This morning’s featured link is: PITTSBURGHESE .com.

Thanks to DP for sending it in. Go there, read about how silly Pittsburghers sound, and don’t forget to take the audio quiz! If nothing else, that will prove to those of you who have spoken to me ONCE AND FOR ALL that I DO NOT have a Pittsburgh accent!!

As awful as the local accent is, I’ll probably miss it when I leave. *sigh*